PhD Thesis on DU and Free Republic [View all]

[snot]

Last edited Sun Jul 28, 2013, 09:49 PM - Edit history (2)

NOT mine; just came across this and just started reading . . . it's long, but looks interesting:

http://gradworks.umi.com/3331358.pdf :

The citizens of Democratic Underground and Free Republic ranged far and wide
for information to build their narratives, and contrary to the arguments of some critics
(e.g., Sunstein, 2001) they did not seek to exclude opposing points of view. In fact, their
activities can be seen as challenging many of the “myths and stereotypes” of the
relationship between media and democracy as described by Doris Graber (2003). The
primary challenge is to one of the myths defined by Graber as the “belief that governments
can control the citizens by manipulating the media” (2003, p. 140). . . . These environments
include institutions and social groups, work environments and cultural ties. When media
narratives come into contact with individual narratives, numerous factors determine how
they are received, and whether they are accepted or rejected, in full or part, mutated,
elaborated or even eviscerated. The unique environment of the message board records
these moments of narrative collision between individuals and between citizen and media
narratives and allows us to address them in context. In becoming the media, on whatever
scale, citizens participate in the creation of political culture. . . .

Updated to add title, etc.:
AGONISTIC DEMOCRACY AND THE NARRATIVE OF DISTEMPERED ELITES:
AN ANALYSIS OF CITIZEN DISCOURSE ON POLITICAL MESSAGE FORUMS
Jeanette Castillo
Submitted to the faculty of the University Graduate School
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Telecommunications,
Indiana University
August, 2008